You look out at your pool pad in December and see your expensive pump sitting in the snow. Your instinct is to grab a tarp and wrap it up tight.
We asked pool pros whether this is a good idea, and their answer might surprise you: Most of the time, you should leave your equipment alone. Pool equipment is built to live outside, and manufacturers know it will get rained on and snowed on. Wrapping it up often causes more problems than it solves.
The Biggest Risks of Using a Cover
When you tightly wrap your equipment, you might unintentionally create some major hazards that cause more expensive damage than leaving it exposed.
Covers Won’t Stop Freezing
Amanda Casteel, COO at Cherry Blossom Plumbing, says people confuse “protected from the elements” with “protected from physics.”
“A cover keeps debris and UV damage off your equipment, which matters for longevity of plastic housings and control panels,” she says. “But it does absolutely nothing to prevent freeze damage if water is still sitting in those lines.”
“We see this constantly in Northern Virginia,” Casteel adds. “Homeowners think a $30 cover solved a $3,000 problem.”
Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO at Cabana, agrees: “A tarp or vinyl cover isn’t going to be enough protection against freezing temperatures. Sure, it can help a little bit, but winterizing your pool properly is not something you want to take shortcuts on.”
“If water in your equipment freezes, understand that water expands when it freezes, which can instantly cause your equipment to crack or break. That can be a costly fix.”
The only protection is getting the water out, which is the first step in How to Maintain Your Pool in Winter, or, in some climates, periodically running your pool pump in winter is enough to prevent a freeze.
Moisture and Corrosion
You might be trying to protect your gear, but you could be trapping moisture inside.
“It’s vital that the pool equipment in your pool equipment pad gets the ventilation it needs. It needs airflow in order to prevent moisture buildup that can cause damage,” says Yamaguchi.
Casteel agrees, especially about heaters: “The ventilation issue with heaters is real, and I’d add this: condensation. When you cover equipment that generates heat (even residual), you’re creating a moisture trap. We see this with tankless water heaters in crawl spaces. Any covering without proper airflow leads to corrosion on electrical components and gas connections.”
The Pest Problem
One of the most frequent and expensive problems with covering equipment is that a tightly wrapped equipment pad becomes a perfect winter home for mice, rats, and squirrels.
Pests love the shelter. Once inside a heater or pump housing, they chew through electrical wires and soft insulation to build nests. The repairs for chewed wires can easily cost thousands of dollars. If you must cover your equipment, you should seal any small holes with steel wool to prevent pests from entering.
How to Handle Each Piece of Pool Equipment
The best action depends on the specific piece of equipment:
Pool Heaters
Do not fully cover! Both pros agree that this is a bad idea. “When it comes to pool heaters, you generally don’t want to cover them,” Yamaguchi explains.
“This can actually damage them. Pool heaters need ventilation, so if they are covered and can’t get that airflow, moisture can build up and cause damage. Mold could form and grow, or the heater could experience corrosion. It’s always a good idea to look into the winterizing instructions for the exact pool heater model you have, but it’s almost always going to be the case where covering it is not recommended.”
Casteel adds, “If your pool heater manufacturer says ‘don’t cover,’ they’re not being overcautious. They’ve seen the warranty claims.” And those warranty claims are a lot more painful when you consider the cost of a pool heater.
Pro tip: If you get a lot of snow, Yamaguchi says you can protect the top. “It’s not a bad idea to protect the equipment from snowfall if that is something you deal with where you live. So, covering the top can be fine, but leave the sides exposed.”
Pumps and Filters
For pumps and filters, the pros’ biggest concern was about draining.
Casteel says the biggest mistake she sees “isn’t about the cover itself, but that homeowners treat winterization like a checklist instead of a system.”
“They’ll blow out the main lines but forget the pump basket still has water, or they’ll drain the filter but leave the pressure gauge attached (which holds water and will crack),” she warns. “Your filter housing holds way more trapped water than people realize”, Casteel explains. “With pool filters, that’s your laterals, your valve body, and anywhere the plumbing dips below the main drain point.”
Salt Water Cells
If you have a saltwater pool, you have one more thing to worry about. The salt cell is the expensive part plumbed into your pipes. Water expands when it freezes. The metal plates inside your salt cell are very close together. If water freezes inside, it will bend those plates and ruin the cell.
Most manufacturers recommend removing the cell for the winter. You can buy a dummy cell or a spacer pipe to fill the gap. Store the real cell inside your house where it is warm.
Plumbing and Pipes
If you live in a cold climate and drain your pool, your pipes will be empty. They do not need a cover.
If you live in a mild climate like Texas and keep the pool running, then a tarp is not enough. PVC pipes have zero insulation. If a hard freeze is coming, you need to wrap exposed pipes with foam. You can use pool noodles or fiberglass pipe wrap. This acts like a winter coat. A tarp over the top can help block the wind, but the foam on the pipes is what stops the freezing.
Automation Controls
Your automation system is the brain of the pool. It is also full of expensive circuit boards. Do not wrap the metal box in plastic.
These boxes are rated for outdoor use. That means they are built to handle rain and snow. If you wrap the box in plastic, you trap humidity against the electronics. This causes the boards to corrode and fail. Just make sure the door is latched tightly so water cannot blow inside. That is all the protection it needs.
What About Snow?
Snow itself is usually not a problem for pumps and filters. They are waterproof. The danger comes from heavy weight or falling ice. Icicles falling from a roof overhang can crack a plastic pump lid. Heavy snow piling up on a heat pump fan can bend the blades.
You want a shield rather than a wrap. You can use a cover that only goes over the top grille of a heat pump. Do not wrap the sides. The evaporator coils on the sides need to breathe.
How to Winterize The Right Way
Before you start, you need to know When to Close Your Pool. After that, the pros say the biggest mistake is rushing or just checking boxes.
Casteel recommends that you look at every single part: “In our water treatment work, we teach techs that every component connected to the system needs individual attention. Your pool equipment is the same. It’s not one thing to winterize, it’s twelve things.”
“They’ll blow out the main lines but forget the pump basket still has water,” Casteel says, “ or they’ll drain the filter but leave the pressure gauge attached (which holds water and will crack).”
Yamaguchi agrees that the number one goal is getting all the water out.
“Make sure that water is fully drained from your equipment to prevent any potential damage from freezing and expanding,” he says. “This is why it’s important to drain your pool below the skimmer opening, so that there is no water left in there that can freeze and cause damage.”
Only after everything is fully drained should you think about a cover. If you use one, do not grab a solid plastic tarp. “In very cold climates, using breathable covers can be helpful, like burlap, to give a little more insulation,” Yamaguchi notes.
Save Yourself the Headache
Your pool equipment is tougher than you think. It can handle snow and rain, but can’t handle being trapped in a damp cover.
If you are unsure about draining your equipment or worried about missing a hidden drain plug, don’t guess. One small mistake can cost thousands in the spring. We can help you connect with an experienced local pro who knows exactly how to handle the winter in your area.
Home Gnome delivers the best home service experience at the click of a button. Book reliable, skilled services in seconds and leave the rest to us.
Read More:
- How to Winterize Your In-Ground Pool
- How to Winterize Your Above-Ground Pool
- How to Winterize Your Saltwater Pool
- How to Install a Pool Cover on Your In-Ground Pool
- How to Cover an Above-Ground Pool
Main Image: Snow-covered outdoor pool heater in winter. Image Credit: StockMediaSeller / Adobe Stock
Related Posts:
